All or None: You Don't Have to Kill Yourself to Be Healthy
Tuesday, March 25, 2008 at 09:12PM Do you ever get the impression that you have to spend 2 hours a day exercising, 3 or more hours daily preparing fresh, organically grown food, take 4 bags of “all natural” supplements and still sleep 8 hours a day to be healthy? If you listen to all of the health experts and media, it is easy to think that being healthy requires way too much effort – so much effort that you give up before you even start.
Excess vs. Moderation
I sometimes feel that way as well. I am an all or none person. I want steak and ice cream all of the time or I decide that I will never eat it again. (Incidentally, it has been 7 years since I had either). In the Eating RainbowsTM and Achieve Maximum HealthTM workshops that I present, I have learned from the participants that most people are not “all or none” personalities. They, like you, may get overwhelmed with trying to do too much at once to improve their health. You may be gifted in your ability to follow a path of moderation.
I teach and preach the ideal ways to be healthy. I am vegan and I exercise frequently and compete as an amateur triathlete (very amateur so don’t look for my name at the top of the finishers). I get plenty of rest, and I enjoy time with my family. I work really hard at accomplishing everything, but I am not so successful at moderation.
Lose Weight the Easy Weight
When I decided to lose weight in 2001, I eliminated most saturated fat from my diet. I stopped eating meat, junk food and fatty foods. I ate mostly fruits and vegetables. This method works and continues to work very well for me, and it works because it fits my nature. You may be different. You may be able to cut down gradually on unhealthy foods while still enjoying an occasional treat. This style of gradually improving your nutrition will make you healthy just as effectively as my Spartan diet.
Remember 5 & 10 to be Healthy
You don’t have to avoid all unhealthy foods all of the time to be healthy. You do not have to exercise an hour or more every day to be fit. I tell my patients to remember “5 and 10.” This means to eat 5 servings of fruits and/or vegetables every day (eat those rainbows) and exercise 10 minutes daily. This will help you to start and maintain a healthy lifestyle without being overwhelmed and giving up.
One of the things that I have observed about human behavior in my years of medical practice is that if something appears too difficult, most people will not attempt to do it. If you set a goal to lose 70 pounds, you will probably not get started because your brain thinks, “I can’t lose 70 pounds – that’s just too much.” Instead, you should decide to lose 15 pounds. That is a goal that you can accomplish in a relatively short time. Medical studies have proven that moderate weight loss of 5-10% of your body weight will significantly reduce your risk of developing chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and certain types of cancer and will reduce your risk of complications if you already have these conditions.
Similar to improving your health with gradual and moderate weight loss, exercising a total of just 90 minutes per week significantly reduces your risk of heart disease and other health problems. You do not have to run a marathon every week to get most of the benefits of exercise.
Invest in Your Health
Investing in your health is like investing for retirement. The small amount time you exercise and the 1 or 2 healthier food choices daily compound over time just like the small deduction from your paycheck that goes into your retirement account. Decide how healthy you want to be and then begin with small investments that multiply with time.
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Reader Comments (2)
Dr. Fullington, so many of us want to eat healthy and exercise but .... eating healthy is expensive. So this causes stress. Then if you shop around that incurs another stress factor, gas prices. It takes gas to shop around. Then there is exercise for those whom cannot walk outside or have home equipment there's the stress of purchasing equipment or gym fees. Seems its just a merry-go-round. And some of us would truly enjoy your seminars but again there is the registration fee burden (stress). Does it ever end? I put much trust in you, your recommendations etc. But finding the funds to support all suggestions is not easy to do. So again one must self-educate by reading and sharing with others to get helpful hints. Many times that works but some do not. Stress just seems to be a natural part of ones daily life. For me I pray, put my faith in God, share with others and gain strength through much self-discipline (another stress)!! So please so not stop your newsletter and blog page -- for those of us whom have limited sources -- these 2 of yours are very helpful. Thank you,
Hi Shirley,
The important thing to remember about eating healthy is to design a program that not only fits your lifestyle but also fits your budget. Frozen vegetables are a less expensive alternative to fresh. They also last longer and can reduce trips to the grocery store. Learn the principles of a healthy lifestyle and then tailor it to your needs.
Perhaps other readers have similar problems and could share some tips.
The reason that I am doing this blog is to help as many people as I can reach to improve their health and their lives. I am glad you are enjoying the blog and the newsletter.